The next couple of months of the 2023/24 season could be the defining time for a lot of Real Madrid players as they look to conduct a huge overhaul of their team this summer transfer window.
The priority is to complete the signing of Kylian Mbappe, first and foremost, with the Frenchman finally fully ready to commit to joining the Spanish giants on a free transfer after missing out on his ‘dream move’ for a few years.
There is little to no doubt that Mbpape will become a mainstay in the team almost immediately after joining, with the onus on Carlo Ancelotti to fit him into the puzzle alongside Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Brahim Diaz, and of course, Rodrygo.
Rodrygo, especially, faces some amount of risk with Vini and Mbappe expected to take over positions as the left-winger and centre-forward. This leaves only the right-wing slot open, which is the Brazilian’s lowest priority.
Madrid do definitely trust him, though, and are happy with his performances this season, as well. They are not looking to sell him despite Mbappe’s arrival.
He has definitely proven his mettle this season, with 13 goals across four competitions already this season, but still six behind his tally from last season.
And it seems Rodrygo was really hoping to better his numbers from last season before the season started.
A personal bet
If a report from AS is to be believed, Rodrygo set himself a target of 20 goals this season, hoping to beat the barrier from last season and go beyond his personal best.
He started the season slowly, but for a while mid-way through the season, he hit a tremendous purple patch, and the goal of 20 goals was starting to look like a formality.
Starting early November, Rodrygo went on a brilliant streak, scoring ten goals across two months — or 13 games. He also racked up six assists during this time, including two goals and assists in one game against Valencia.
However, since the Super Cup final against Barcelona, Rodrygo has managed only one goal for Real Madrid in 13 games — in the 4-0 win against Girona early in February.
Madrid are still alive in the Champions League, pitted against the defending champions Manchester City, and are also the runaway leaders in La Liga, with nine games left to play.
Rodrygo has ample time to rack up seven goals during this time, but he will really need to work to turnaround his fortunes and find his scoring boots again.